Zimbabwe, Maize, 2017

Zimbabwe's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2017 was 462,714 tonnes or 19.7% which had an estimated value of more than 136 million US dollar, which corresponds to 7.4% of national agricultural GDP.

As for nutrition 1,605 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 1 million people, in terms of annual nutritional dietary energy requirements. In the value chain, the majority of the loss is estimated to be happening at Household-level storage, Harvesting/field drying, and then Further drying. Highest estimated postharvest maize losses in tonnes were estimated to occur in Mashonaland West.

To view the list of studies used to estimate these losses, please see the References tab.

Production quantity and estimated postharvest losses

  • Production quantity (tonnes)
  • Estimated postharvest losses (tonnes)
2011–2021
2011 1648859
2012 1165271
2013 969992
2014 1634738
2015 939456
2016 709046
2017 2352756
2018 1897932
2019 973865
2020 1104859
Produced 2,352,756 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 19.7% / 462,714 tonnes / > 136 million USD
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
80.3331 Production quantity: 2,352,756 tonnes 19.7 Estimated PHL: 462,714 tonnes

See full postharvest losses data table with estimated losses in percentage › | tonnes › | USD ›

Value chain

Production quantity and estimated postharvest losses in % per value chain step. Please note that once loss has occurred at harvesting, the percentage loss in the next stage is a percentage of what remained, not of the original amount.

  • Estimated % of crop left
  • Estimated % of crop lost
Amount remaining(%) Estimated postharvest loss(%)
Production 100 Remaining: 100%
Est. PHL: 0%
0 Remaining: 100%
Est. PHL: 0%
Harvesting/field drying 93.80148 Remaining: 93.80148%
Est. PHL: 6.19852%
6.19852 Remaining: 93.80148%
Est. PHL: 6.19852%
Further drying 89.84448 Remaining: 89.84448%
Est. PHL: 3.957%
3.957 Remaining: 89.84448%
Est. PHL: 3.957%
Threshing and Shelling 88.44413 Remaining: 88.44413%
Est. PHL: 1.40035%
1.40035 Remaining: 88.44413%
Est. PHL: 1.40035%
Transport from field 86.07172 Remaining: 86.07172%
Est. PHL: 2.37241%
2.37241 Remaining: 86.07172%
Est. PHL: 2.37241%
Household-level storage 78.1603 Remaining: 78.1603%
Est. PHL: 7.91142%
7.91142 Remaining: 78.1603%
Est. PHL: 7.91142%
Transport to market 76.63064 Remaining: 76.63064%
Est. PHL: 1.52966%
1.52966 Remaining: 76.63064%
Est. PHL: 1.52966%
Market storage 73.98064 Remaining: 73.98064%
Est. PHL: 2.65%
2.65 Remaining: 73.98064%
Est. PHL: 2.65%

See full value chain data table with estimated losses in percentage › | tonnes › | USD ›

Nutrition

Number of people whose annual dietary requirements (in terms of energy, kcal) could have been met by consuming the maize that was lost postharvest, and what % of the focal group of the population this number equates to.

Total number

1,908,202

people, 11.3%


Children 1-3

4,461,416

children, 291.1%


Pregnant women 19-30

1,614,888

women, 2,042.9%


Men 31-50

1,429,625

men, 85.4%

See full nutritional impact data for Children 1–3 › | Pregnant women 19–30 › | Men 31–50 ›